Multi-colored, voluminous petunia bushes have already won the hearts of many experienced and novice flower growers and gardeners. Their flowering period is mid-spring until the first frost. They decorate summer cottages, flower beds, balconies, verandas, restaurant and cafe areas. This flowering plant is not whimsical. However, one of the most important agrotechnical issues deserves attention, since the development and abundance of petunia flowering depends on this. In this article you will learn how to pinch petunia.
Description and characteristics of the petunia plant
Let's start the description of the petunia plant with the fact that it comes from Argentina and Brazil. In their homeland, the plants are perennial, but here they do not overwinter and are used as annual plants. Of course, modern garden hybrids very different from their wild ancestors. The main breeding work on their creation began in the middle of the 19th century in America and continues throughout the world to this day. There are more than 25 species, among which there are small-flowered forms with a plant height of 20 to 40 cm, blooming 70–75 days after germination, and large-flowered forms, the height of which can reach 60 cm. These petunias bloom two weeks later than small-flowered ones. There are terry ampelous forms, the shoots of which can reach more than 1 m in length.
Petunia leaves can acquire light or dark shades of green, their shape is oval, length from 6 to 12 cm. Petunia stems are straight, with densely located branches.
During the development process, a bush of the correct silhouette is formed, which eliminates the need for decorative pruning. The only thing that is required is pinching the top for more intensive growth in width.
IN natural habitat petunia propagates by seed. Its seeds ripen in a two-leaf capsule and have a very small size(0.8 mm). In one box, about 100 seeds can quietly ripen and then be sown.
To obtain planting material the most decorative bushes They are transplanted into pots in the fall and used for cuttings in the spring. Large-flowered petunia is more thermophilic than small-flowered petunia. In rainy weather, it loses its decorative effect, and the agricultural technology for its cultivation is more complex. Therefore, it is more often used as a potted crop.
Why do you pinch petunia?
As a result of pinching, the petunia begins to actively release side shoots. This makes the bush look more lush, stronger and healthier. Large quantity guarantees new branches larger number buds and flowers. At the same time, the quality of flowering also improves: it becomes long-lasting and abundant.
In addition, pinching petunia is one of the ways to propagate it. The resulting cuttings are placed in water or in moist soil under a jar. They produce roots quite quickly, after which they are ready for planting.
Do all varieties of petunias need to be pinched?
Old amateur varieties that have been bred long ago or plants grown from seeds collected from their flowers must be pinched. As a rule, such petunia in its natural form is far from compact and lush.
Breeders place strict demands on modern hybrid petunia not only for the beauty and splendor of flowering, but also for the simplification of plant care.
Petunia of modern varieties or hybrids does not require pinching or requires minimal intervention in the formation of the crown.
However, even on modern varieties it is impossible to do without pinching. Often, when petunia seedlings are grown at home with a lack of light and in cramped conditions, at a temperature that is too high for it, the plants stretch out.
In this case, you can spray the seedlings with Atlet or another similar product (which is what is used in industrial greenhouses) or do pinching. Many gardeners are not in favor of using excessive “chemicals” even on flowers and prefer to pinch petunia.
The rapid formation of side shoots is facilitated by lower night temperatures.
Time to pinch petunia
Has the plant started to grow actively? This is a sure sign that you need to start pinching the bushes. This phenomenon is associated with the process of growth along the stem. First you need to find the bottom of the branch. Four or five leaves are counted from it. The upper part of the shoot is called the zone where the flower begins to grow. It should be plucked off with your fingers. After this, growth “in length” slows down somewhat, however, the activity of additional lateral parts of the shoot is activated. After such a simple operation, more flowers appear. This method should be repeated after one month.
How to pinch petunia step by step
We leave at least 4-6 true leaves on the bush. Using small scissors or fingernails, we remove the top of the plant, that is, we disrupt the growth point.
Now the existing side shoots will grow more actively, and new ones will begin to form. Thus, the petunia bush becomes branched and dense. This procedure can be repeated several times as the shoots grow, so we will get a large number of branches on which there will be many flowers.
If you allow the crown of the petunia to grow a little more, then the cut off part can be immediately planted in a separate pot.
Caring for petunia after pinching
Caring for petunias does not end with pinching. To prevent the bushes from losing their decorative value, you need to constantly monitor the flowers, removing dried petals and inflorescences along with the seed pods. They should be removed so that the plant does not waste nutrients on setting seeds. All this will contribute to the rapid growth of new, larger buds. In addition, dry parts of the plant greatly spoil appearance the whole bush.
Cuttings of petunias after pinching
Large apical shoots after cutting are excellent planting material for growing new plants.
For quick and successful rooting, they are dipped in a container of water. So that they don't rot, lower leaves that come into contact with water are removed, leaving only a few leaves on top. After the roots appear, the young plants are planted in the ground.
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To form decorative and abundantly flowering bushes, plants require proper care and attention. From the moment the seeds are sown, petunias require twice picking, pinching and spraying of the aerial parts. In addition, do not forget about regular watering, fertilizing and removing dried flower buds and shoots. New flower buds will appear where old flowers are cut.
Pinching petunias is the most the right way, with which you can improve the quality, duration and abundance of flowering. Despite the diversity of species, breeders are working on new varieties. If you pass by a flower bed with petunias, take a closer look at them, you will certainly see flowers that are unfamiliar to you before.
Pinching is the breaking off (pinching with nails) of the grassy tip of a growing shoot. After this operation, the remaining part of the shoot quickly becomes lignified, noticeably thickens, the leaves on it acquire a darker color and the buds in the leaf axils increase in size. If pinching is done early, long before the end of the growing season, then 7-10 days after it, a rosette of new leaves and even strong shoots develop from the 1-2 upper buds.
Pinching is done for different purposes.
Pinching of a competitor shoot, that is, a shoot growing from an underlying bud adjacent to the continuation shoot of the central conductor and usually developing as strongly as the continuation shoot itself (and sometimes stronger), almost always at a very acute angle. 8 further, if the competitor is allowed to develop freely, it forms a fork with a conductor, easily breaking under the weight of even a small harvest. Competitors should be pinched early period, soon after the shoots reach 7-10 centimeters. If the conductor is weak (at this time its growth strength is already revealed), it can be replaced: it can be broken off and the strongest of the underlying shoots left in its place, tied to a thorn to give it a vertical position. Only after this the next underlying shoot is pinched so that it does not compete in terms of developmental strength with the new conductor. If new shoots begin to develop on a competitor, they are pinched back soon after the start of growth, or the competitor is removed entirely (cut out, broken out). This can be done in the spring of next year. It is undesirable to remove competitors at the first pinching (in the early period), since the underlying lateral plants, trying to take the place of a competitor, begin to grow strongly at a very acute angle (this is especially often observed in varieties with a pyramidal type of growth). By the time of the second pinching, the angle of departure of the lateral branches is fixed, since their bases have time to become sufficiently lignified.
The same is done with spiny and other vigorously growing shoots that arise on the inside of the branches; so that they do not subsequently shade the crown, they are pinched in the early period and then removed.
Transformation of skeletal type shoots into overgrowing branches. On young trees of varieties with good branching, many strong annual branches are formed, most of which must be cut out or greatly shortened next spring to prevent thickening of the crown. By pinching, you can already weaken vigorously growing excess shoots in advance and encourage them to set fruit buds.
The timing of pinching depends on the strength of development, the condition of the shoot, the characteristics of the variety and climatic conditions.
It begins when the shoots reach a length of 15-18 centimeters. Only those shoots that have not finished growing by this time are pinched. This can be judged by the state of the shoot tip.
Shoots that have completed and are finishing growth at this point (rings, spears, fruit twigs) should not be pinched. If, after pinching, new shoots (2nd growth) grow from the axillary buds, proceed as follows. If only one strong shoot is formed, it is pinched when it reaches 7-10 centimeters above the second or third leaf; if two or more shoots grow from one axil, then the pinched (primary) shoot is cut off above the lowest strong lateral shoot of the 2nd growth (thus removing the rest), and only the very top of it is pinched (approximately above 2 -5 sheets),
In the middle zone, this ends summer pinching operations for the specified purpose. In the south, if shoots of 3rd growth are growing, another pinching may be required, in which they are removed above their lowest leaf shortly after regrowth begins.
Regulation of the force of conductor development and skeletal branches. Most often, there is a need to maintain the uniform development of annual lateral shoots throughout the entire conductor, in order to subsequently select new skeletal branches from them. With natural growth, especially in varieties with a drooping type of growth (Streifling, Pepin saffron, Pepinka Lithuanian and others), the conductor and one or two upper lateral shoots grow stronger. Of these, as a rule, the competitor shoot cannot be left as a skeletal branch, as well as the lower ones, which develop poorly, and few shoots remain for the selection of skeletal branches. Therefore, the conductor and the upper shoots must be greatly shortened when pruning next spring, so that the underlying ones do not fall behind. For this reason, the selection of new skeletal branches is difficult and the formation is delayed.
By pinching you can correct the position already in this year, taking advantage of the fact that it temporarily stops the growth of shoots and weakens their development, which allows the remaining shoots to catch up with the pinched ones.
To achieve uniform development of many strong lateral branches, pinch out the strongest growing upper shoots, which have reached a length of 30-40 centimeters. The competitor, as described above, must be suppressed by pinching earlier and can be cut out by this moment. When the underlying shoots grow to the height at which the strongest shoot was pinched, their grassy tops are also plucked. This is done consistently with all shoots.
In case of germination of several shoots of the 2nd growth on pinched shoots, only one, the most conveniently located one, is allowed to grow freely, the rest are removed.
If the bulk of the shoots develop weakly, and the conductor grows excessively, it is pinched when it becomes approximately one and a half to two times longer than the upper branches. If the conductor lags far behind the lateral branches (breakage, damage), it is cut off and replaced with the strongest of the underlying laterals, which is tied to the spine, and all other lateral shoots equal to it in strength are pinched to give it an advantage in growth.
Everything that is said here about the conductor and lateral branches also applies to the lateral skeletal branches: they also have their own continuation shoots and lateral branches, the strength of development of which must be regulated in order to maintain subordination.
Pinching is also used to accelerate the end of growth and ripening of wood on young trees in order to better prepare them for wintering. In this case, it is done later, in a period close to the normal end of growth: in the middle zone at the end of July - mid-August, in the south at the beginning - mid-September.
Pinching too early in this case will cause strong secondary growth and may weaken the winter hardiness of the tree.
They pinch only the tops of shoots that continue to grow, regardless of the strength of their development and location.
You can also regulate the growth force of shoots (branches, branches) by changing the direction of growth. The closer to the vertical position the shoot (twig, branch) is located, the stronger it develops.
Therefore, if it is necessary to strengthen it, it is given a more vertical direction by pulling and tying it to the conductor; and vice versa, if you need to weaken a shoot (twig, branch), it is given a more horizontal direction by pulling it back and tying it to neighboring branches or pegs driven into the ground, or using spacers (in the early stages of shoot development, until its base begins to woody, with a length of 5-10 centimeters).
Relatively recently, it was found that in order to correct the angles of shoots, it is possible to lubricate their bases with heteroauxin paste in a concentration of 0.01-0.05 percent, prepared with lanolin. Instead of lanolin (according to B. Lysenko), you can prepare a paste using boron vaseline. They lubricate it inner side shoots when they reach a length of 3-5 centimeters, but have not yet begun to become woody. It is important that the paste is applied to the base of the stem, and not to the petioles of the leaves, which are often pressed to the stem at this time.
By using pinching and other summer operations (pulling up branches, spacers, etc.), you can almost get rid of spring pruning fruit trees.
Volumetric multi-colored bushes of double, ampelous, two-color and single-color petunias won the hearts of experienced gardeners and newcomers. From mid-spring until the first frost, flowers of amazing variety and decorativeness decorate not only summer cottages, but also the balconies of multi-storey buildings, verandas of cottages, city flower beds, cafes and restaurants. The flowers are unpretentious, do not require professional maintenance and special conditions, but respond favorably to the care of the flower growers. The flower needs good care, which provides, in addition to traditional procedures, the formation of a bush by tweezing or pinching it. Petunia, which is not pinched but allowed to grow freely, can form an elongated bush that will fall to one side. If you form the crown of the plant correctly, you can get a lush flower with many flowering shoots.
Why do you need to pinch petunia?
Pinching (or tweezing) – breaking off/plucking off the top of a plant shoot with nails. After this, the remaining part of the stem becomes woody and begins to thicken, the leaves become thicker rich color, and the kidneys in the sinuses increase in size. In gardening, this process is done to produce strong new shoots and a more beautiful appearance. However, this method works if the pinching was done before the growing season ended.
Get something strong and pleasing to the eye from a small sprout living decoration It’s not difficult, the main thing is to know how to pinch petunia correctly and strictly follow the rules.
Do all varieties of petunias need to be pinched?
Old amateur varieties that have been bred long ago or plants grown from seeds collected from their flowers must be pinched. As a rule, such petunia in its natural form is far from compact and lush.
Breeders place strict demands on modern hybrid petunia not only for the beauty and splendor of flowering, but also for the simplification of plant care.
Petunia of modern varieties or hybrids does not require pinching or requires minimal intervention in the formation of the crown.
However, even on modern varieties it is impossible to do without pinching. Often, when petunia seedlings are grown at home with a lack of light and in cramped conditions, at a temperature that is too high for it, the plants stretch out.
In this case, you can spray the seedlings with Atlet or another similar product (which is what is used in industrial greenhouses) or do pinching. Many gardeners are not in favor of using excessive “chemicals” even on flowers and prefer to pinch petunia.
The rapid formation of side shoots is facilitated by lower night temperatures.
What is needed to pinch petunias?
To carry out this manipulation you will need the following:
- convenient scissors or pruning shears;
- strong seedlings with 4 – 5 large leaves at the top;
- container for collecting removed cuttings.
How and when to pinch petunia
Pinching petunia should be done twice - at the seedling stage and after planting in open ground. If the second pinching can be neglected due to lack of time, then pinching at the seedling stage is mandatory. It is carried out when the young seedling has 5-6 leaves, maybe a little less, but not more than this amount. The algorithm is quite simple. Use a miniature pruner, scissors, or just your fingers to pinch the stem young plant above the 5-6th leaf. In order for the seedling to recover faster after this procedure, you can water or spray it with a growth stimulator such as Epin or Zircon.
A month later, when new side shoots begin to grow, you need to tweezer again. Now it is carried out not only on the central stem, but also on the side shoots, which after this procedure will sprout third-order shoots. After repeated pinching, foliar and root feeding is carried out with complete mineral fertilizer and growth stimulator. It is advisable to pinch ampelous varieties every 3-4 weeks.
What to do after pinching a petunia
With regular shortening of shoots and increased growth of petunia, constant feeding with a growth stimulant and complete mineral fertilizer is required. Otherwise, many thin stems will develop. It is possible to achieve returns from a plant only if constant watering and proper care.
We remember that we need to pick off wilted flowers in a timely manner (do not pull them out, but pinch them off from the branch with the peduncle). By forming seed plants, they take away strength from the plant.
Incidental propagation of petunia by cuttings after pinching
The tops of petunia shoots, plucked or carefully cut with nail scissors, are used as cuttings for further propagation of the plant.
The roots that appear on green cuttings placed in water serve as a signal that they can already be planted in the ground, having cleared the lower part of the stem of leaves, leaving a couple of leaves at the top. Young plants can be planted quite densely, often watering and spraying them, feeding them, and also using a growth stimulator as necessary.
Petunia grown from seeds at home, as well as seedlings of inexpensive varieties purchased from retail chains, must be subjected to regular pinching of shoots protruding from the general bush. Elite varieties grown in special nurseries can develop well without pinching, but they are more capricious, sensitive to sudden changes in humidity and temperature, and suffer from exposure to rain and wind.
- Do not use the operation for seedlings in boxes and young immature shoots, do not mix different varieties and rid the soil of weeds and pests in a timely manner. Remember, petunias, like other ornamental species, need constant attention and care;
- After pinching, the removed shoots (3-4 leaves) can be placed in a jar of water and after small roots appear, use them to grow new petunia bushes;
- Throughout the season, it is necessary to remove faded flowers in a timely manner, this will contribute to the formation of new buds on the plants.
Pinching is a simple and at the same time important manipulation that allows you to improve the quality of flowering and form a certain shape of the plant. To correct the shape of the plant, you need to pinch the petunia regularly, skipping a month between this procedure. If you follow these rules for caring for petunia, you can grow beautiful bushes of this flowering plant, which will be no worse than in the photos given in this article. If petunias are allowed to grow on their own, they will simply stretch out and the flowers will be small. Petunia lovers are constantly finding new ways to decorate using unusual varieties, and it looks simply amazing.
Every gardener wants his favorite indoor flowers to have beautiful shape and looked well-groomed and aesthetically pleasing. Thanks to this, the plants fit perfectly into home interior, complementing it with an unusual and much-desired twist.
The formation of a plant crown can significantly help in achieving this goal. However, this is not an entirely easy task, since some flowers can be trimmed, but for others it will be harmful. In addition, you need to know how and when is the best time to start forming a green “pet”. Therefore, having learned all the intricacies of this difficult but important procedure, you can provide real care and concern for your indoor pets.
Why do you need to form a crown of indoor flowers?
Among the main goals of plant formation are:
Basic techniques for crown formation indoor plants is trimming, pinching, pinching and gartering.
Pruning indoor plants
Pruning is the process of reducing the size of a plant by removing shoots and branches. Conducting correct pruning the following goals can be achieved:
When is the best time to prune? The most suitable time is after a period of dormancy or flowering. If we talk about the time of year - spring. It is better to prune some time after transplantation, when the plant has already become accustomed to the new conditions. Otherwise, its growth may slow down.
Some types of indoor flowers need to be pruned every year, others every few years.. You cannot carry out the procedure at random, because in this way you can cause significant harm to the plant. Some “pets” may not bloom at all, while others may acquire an ugly shape over time. Before pruning, you should read the recommendations for each species separately.
It is correct to make a cut above the leaf pointing outward. Otherwise, the shoot will grow inward.
The cut is made a few millimeters above the bud, slightly obliquely. Mostly weak shoots and crowns directed inward are removed. The main, powerful shoots can be shortened by 1/3.
To carry out the procedure, clean and very sharp objects are used - a knife, pruning shears or blade. It is important that the cut is smooth. If the damage is large enough, it can be sprinkled with crushed charcoal so that the plant does not get sick. If several plants are pruned, then before each new one it is necessary to disinfect the blade, for example, with alcohol.
Depending on the goals, pruning is divided into:
- Sanitary;
- Rejuvenating;
- Formative;
- Pruning for flowering.
Sanitary pruning
It is often impossible to do without sanitary pruning. If yellow, dry leaves and shoots affected by diseases or pests appear on the plant, they must be removed as soon as possible.
This need is due to the fact that weakened parts of the plant are a sweet spot for. Therefore, in order to prevent fungi, bacteria and insect pests from moving onto healthy shoots and leaves, it is necessary to carry out sanitary pruning in a timely manner.
The main rule in this is to quickly and completely remove all affected, aged parts of the flower.
In this case, the shoot is cut close to healthy tissue, and if it goes into the ground, to its base. It is important to trim dry leaf tips, such as those of dracaenas and palms, regularly.
At the same time, a small dry strip is left - the healthy part of the leaf remains untouched. If you cut off a living leaf, a dried strip will still form at the end and the process will continue. In addition, the risk of infection with fungal diseases increases.
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Anti-aging pruning
Some plants, especially those that grow slowly, can do without rejuvenation. But most indoor green “friends” still have to be pruned for this purpose. For example, these are flowers that quickly stretch out when there is a lack of light. Plants with long shoots especially need this type of pruning.
Over time, due to lack of light, too high a temperature or insufficient air humidity, their leaves at the base dry out and fall off. And the flower takes on an unattractive appearance. This is, for example, . Their lower part quickly becomes exposed, and the only way to maintain a well-groomed and attractive appearance is to trim them regularly and thoroughly.
Anti-aging pruning is best done in the spring before the start of the growth period. or soon after, or in the fall, when the plant is dormant (you can read more about the life phases of indoor plants).
The shoots are cut almost to the base. It is important that there are 2-4 living buds left on the “stump”. Only 10-15% of the entire flower may remain.
However, the more thorough the pruning, the more vigorously new shoots will grow. If it’s hard to decide to trim the entire plant at once, you can do it in 2 stages. First, half of the shoots are cut off. And when new ones grow from them, the remaining half is cut off.
After rejuvenating pruning, the flower needs feeding, because it will undergo intensive growth.
Watering at this time is slightly reduced, because the shortened top part does not need a lot of moisture. It is better to place the pot in partial shade, away from direct rays of the sun. After such pruning, the flower produces many healthy, strong shoots and acquires a luxurious appearance.
Formative pruning
It is one of the most difficult. Its goal is to give the plant the desired shape. Vigorous and branchy green “pets” especially need it. For example, crown formation is necessary for,. You need to approach formative pruning creatively, observing the plant and finding out which shape will be most suitable for it.
It is important to choose the right place for the cut. So, in order for the branch to grow horizontally, it is necessary that the last bud remaining after pruning be directed downward or outward of the crown. For vertical growth, on the contrary, the bud should “look” up or towards the center. It is also important to know which shoots need to be cut to obtain the desired shape. Depending on the wishes of the grower and the type of flower, the following forms can be obtained using pruning:
Pruning for flowering
Sometimes pruning of a flower is carried out in order to ensure the flowering process or to make it more abundant - this is pruning for flowering. To carry out such a haircut, it is important to know the characteristics of each type of plant. For example, at what time of year the green “friend” will delight you with buds, on which shoots they appear: young or old.
Typically, in plants blooming in summer, pruning for flowering coincides with spring formative pruning. Different types, blooming several times a year, need pruning twice: in the spring and after flowering.
Interestingly, most plants flower buds are formed only on annual shoots. These are pelargonium, passionflower, citrus fruits. Therefore, without pruning, they may simply not bloom. The optimal time for cutting is in the spring before the growth period begins. If the process is delayed, the shoots will not have time to grow enough, and the buds will not appear.
Pinching indoor plants
What is pinching plants? It is the removal of a bud from the end of a shoot (pinching). Its goal is to form a beautiful bushy plant and rejuvenate the crown. The procedure is carried out with hands, scissors or a knife after transplantation and growth begins. Let's look at how to pinch indoor plants in detail.
To form the desired bush, you need to pinch off the top of the main shoot, which has reached a height of 6-7 cm. When new side shoots grow to 15-20 cm, they also need to be pinched.
The result is a thick, curly bush. But it also needs shaping. Periodically you need to remove weak shoots and those that grow inward.
It is important to know that pinching may delay the flowering process or may not begin at all. Therefore, when the plant acquires the desired shape, pinching should be stopped.
It is important to carry out this procedure for pelargonium, myrtle, heliotrope, fuchsia, and indoor roses.
It is not recommended to pinch some plants. Among them are scindapsus, ceropegia, and asparagus.
It is mainly thanks to pinching that bonsai, which are widely popular today, can be formed. For this would be better suited myrtle, or fuchsia. It is important to pay attention to the plant variety: only bush varieties are suitable for bonsai; hanging trees will not form.
Growing indoor flowers
Stepsonning is the removal of excess offspring or stepsons. It is carried out mainly on flowering plants.
Basically, the appearance of stepsons is observed in rosette flowers in the axils of the leaves of the main shoot.
Sometimes the presence of such “babies” does not affect the development and growth of the plant. However removal of stepchildren promotes abundant flowering , larger flowers may appear.
Removed offspring can be used for reproduction. Saintpaulia is an example of a plant that needs pinching.
Garter and support for indoor flowers
A garter and support are necessary in order to give the flower stability and contribute to more decorative appearance. These methods are especially used for plants with weak trunks.
Different types of hanging and vines especially need garter. To do this, use braid, tape, woolen thread.
For larger plants, wrapped wire is used. It is necessary to tie it very carefully so as not to damage the plant.
For some flowers, directing and fixing the shoots in a certain position stimulates flowering.
So, if you point the shoot down and bend it, you can soon expect buds to appear.
Knowing all the intricacies of forming the crown of indoor plants, you can provide truly professional care for your beloved green “pets”!
Forming the crown of fruit trees in the garden
Thanks to a properly formed crown during the first 3-4 years of life, the tree will be able to grow well and bear fruit abundantly.
First year
After planting in the ground, annual trees require pruning of the top to form a lush crown. It is recommended to prune apple trees at a height of 80-90 cm from the ground, and pruning pears at a height of 90-100 cm.
All lateral branches on the trunk (parts of the trunk from the surface of the earth to the lower skeletal branch) are cut out. Varieties with a spreading crown are pruned higher, and pyramidal ones - lower. If annual seedlings have several branches, they are shortened so that 2-3 buds remain on each.
All blossoming buds and young branches starting to grow on the trunk should be removed up to a height of 60 cm from the ground surface. Otherwise, the rate of growth and development of the crown is significantly reduced. It is necessary to leave shoots that are close to horizontal and evenly distributed in space.
Depending on the quality of the seedling and the degree of care for it, from 3 to 5 young branches appear on the tree. These young shoots need to be given a more horizontal position, increasing the angles of departure to 60-80 degrees. To do this, in May - June, soft shoots, 5-20 cm long, are bent using ordinary clothespins. Side shoots longer than 70 cm are shortened by 1/3 so that they do not become bare.
Second year
When sap begins to flow from the tree, it is necessary to remove all shoots on the trunk, competitors of the guide, or in other words, shoots that grew from the lateral buds adjacent to the apical ones, as well as branches that have formed sharp angles of branching. It is recommended to prune trees with rapid growth in May.
In seedlings that have a strong conductor reaching a length of more than 60 cm, it can be replaced with a weaker side shoot (competitor) having a length of about 40 cm.
The guide is the part of the trunk from the first lower branch to the top of the tree. The conductor, which has lost its vertical position, is cut so that 2-4 buds remain on it. Subsequently, from the regrown shoots, one most suitable for the formation of a new conductor is selected.
To prevent the conductor from deviating from the vertical, all buds, flowers and ovaries should be removed from it.
The shoots should be shortened very carefully, since the crown can become very thick due to improper pruning. The side shoots of fast-growing varieties with a pyramidal crown are repeatedly bent to a position close to horizontal. In seedlings with weak growth and weakly branching varieties, the tops of last year's growth are cut off to stimulate branching.
In the summer, bending the shoots should be repeated. At the end of June, the guide is shortened again, vigorous shoots growing vertically at the top of the crown are removed. For apple trees of early-fruiting varieties, it is important to tear off the flowers and ovary on the central conductor and ensure that thin branches do not break off under the weight of the fruit.
Third and fourth year
The formation of young trees is carried out in the same way as in the second year. In this case, the conductor must reach a height of 2-2.5 meters, and the crown is supported in a cone shape. The lower branches can grow until they fill the space that is allocated for the tree.
If the crown is thickened, thinning is carried out. At the same time, low-growing branches are cut off first to increase the height of the trunk. It is important to remove branches that grow vertically, cannot be bent, and disturb the balance of the tree. At the top of the crown, all competitors of the conductor and shoots with sharp angles of departure are removed.
By the fourth year, active crown formation is almost complete. The size and shape of the trees are maintained according to a specific planting pattern. It is important to know that you should not shorten annual growth, as this activates growth processes.
Long branches that extend beyond the allotted space are shortened. An important role in the further formation of the crown is played by its lightening, which is carried out, for example, by removing vertical shoots.
Pruning fruit trees and plants
Successful growth and development of fruit trees is impossible without annual renewal pruning, which is carried out by cutting 2-3-year-old branches onto an oblique replacement branch. When the tree reaches a height of 2.5 meters, the guide is removed and replaced by a competitor. Strong shoots at the top of the crown are removed at the end of summer or in the spring of next year.
If the tree was actively growing last year, pruning dates are often postponed until the growing season. If necessary, root pruning can be done.
Timing of pruning. It is recommended to prune weak-growing varieties of fruit trees during the dormant period.
At that time active processes growth and development practically stop, and most of the nutritional components move to the trunk, skeletal branches and roots.
Trimming methods. Among the main methods of pruning are shortening and thinning.
The purpose of shortening, or pruning, is to prevent excessive growth of branches. The top part of the branch is cut off. Thanks to this, the buds located below the pruning site “wake up”. Pruning makes the crown more luxuriant, stimulating the emergence of new shoots and improving the growth of fruit formations. As a rule, shortening pruning is carried out at a young age during the formation of the tree crown.
The cut is made so that the upper remaining bud “looks” outward. If the branch deviates to the side or down, it shortens above the bud, which will give rise to a shoot growing in the desired vertical direction. The conductor's competitor is completely removed. The central conductor is trimmed so that it rises 15-20 cm above the crown.
Thanks to thinning pruning, excessive crown density is eliminated. Excess branches are removed completely, from the beginning of their growth. Competitors, branches growing vertically downwards or towards the center of the crown, are subject to pruning.
Thanks to thinning, the crown is better ventilated and illuminated by the sun, and is less susceptible to diseases caused by high humidity.
Voluminous multi-colored bushes of double, ampelous, bicolor and single-color petunias have won the hearts of experienced gardeners and beginners. From mid-spring until the first frost, flowers of amazing variety and decorativeness decorate not only summer cottages, but also the balconies of multi-storey buildings, verandas of cottages, city flower beds, cafes and restaurants. The flowers are unpretentious, do not require professional maintenance or special conditions, but they respond favorably to the care of flower growers.
Necessary conditions for pinching petunia
Proper cultivation and formation is an important condition to get a beautiful and healthy bush. In addition to timely sowing and picking, it is necessary to properly pinch the petunia. This means that at a certain stage of growth it needs to remove the top shoots. This procedure will ensure branching of the stems and the formation of many buds on bushy crowns.
To carry out this manipulation you will need the following:
- convenient scissors or pruning shears;
- strong seedlings with 4 – 5 large leaves at the top;
- container for collecting removed cuttings.
How should you pinch petunia?
Before pinching petunia, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the basic requirements for this procedure:
- When observing the growth of seedlings, it is necessary to choose a period when they have become a little stronger and began to quickly grow upward. It can have up to 5 - 6 leaves, but no more. If you miss this moment, the seedlings will stretch out. Actually pinching the petunias will not take much time. It is necessary to trim the stem above 5–6 leaves using your fingers or pruning shears.
This creates a new point of growth, from which different sides Several shoots will begin to grow simultaneously. During this period, the seedlings may slow down their development, but at the same time they will become a little stronger. When side shoots begin to appear, the bush will take on a more rounded appearance. - If you plan to plant seedlings in open ground, then it is better to pinch them after rooting. The sprout will need several days to adapt. During this period you need to try to create favorable conditions in order for the plants to take root:
- seedlings must be planted loosely, observing the conditions of agricultural technology;
- monitor the frequency of watering and spraying;
- Apply a specialized strengthening fertilizer to the roots.
If development occurs in a greenhouse, you can pinch the petunia after picking.
- If the cut shoots are not very small, they can be used as cuttings. In order for the cutting to take root, it is placed in a container of water. First you need to remove excess leaves, leaving a few at the top. When the roots appear, they are transplanted into the soil. This way you can get additional young seedlings.
- when pinching, try to injure the sprout as little as possible, use clean tools;
- a month after the event and the appearance of strong side branches, pinching the tops of the petunias can be repeated;
- To plant large buds on new stepsons, use suitable fertilizers; they will make the flowers brighter and larger.
In order for a formed ornamental bush to please with its beautiful appearance for as long as possible, it will need constant care. From the moment of sowing, no replanting, pinching, or spraying of sprouts will be required. Do not forget to water and feed well, remove dried flowers and shoots. In place of the cut old flowers, new branches with buds will appear. Well-groomed colorful petunias will undoubtedly delight you with abundant and long flowering.